Backgammon Information

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In very general terms, there are three general strategies used. You must be agile enough to switch tactics almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to achieve, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is comprised of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your opponent tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is now in big-time trouble seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It must be played when you are decidedly behind as this plan much improves your opportunities. The better locations for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjoining points or with one point in between. Timing is critical for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is moving their checkers home, seeing that you do not have any other extra checkers to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this case!